LED Lights: Should You Get Them for Your Christmas tree?

When it comes to Christmas tree lights, “To LED or not to LED?” is the question for many homeowners. Unlike Hamlet’s question, this one has an easy answer: YES! LED lights are the best choice for new lighting, as they offer significant energy savings, along with many other advantages over traditional incandescent Christmas tree lights.

Christmas Lighting: Advantages of using LED Lights

Longer Lasting. Most incandescent bulbs are rated for 3,000 hours of use, while LED light bulbs are consistently rated for 50,000 to 200,000 hours. No more endless checking for burnt out bulbs; LED lights are hassle-free in their consistent operation.

Consistent Color.This LED benefit has to do with how color is created in incandescent vs. LED bulbs. The bulbs of incandescent Christmas tree lights are painted with color, which can scratch or chip away. In contrast, LED bulbs emit color at the diodes, meaning that the color will be consistent for the life of the lights. This makes LED lights easier to store as well.

Unusual Light Shows. LED lights can be programmed to cycle through different rhythmic and color patterns. Bulbs can even shift from one color to another! Incandescent bulbs can’t offer such visual fireworks.

No Fire Risk. LED bulbs run cool, unlike incandescent bulbs, which lose up to 95% of their energy to heat. That incandescent heat can spark dry Christmas tree needles; indeed, about 14 deaths are caused every year by Christmas tree fires.

Energy Saving Lights. Because they offer significant energy savings, LED bulbs are good for your pocketbook and for the environment. It’s not unusual for LED Christmas lights to be 80-90% more efficient than incandescent Christmas lights. A single string of 70 mini LED lights would draw about 4.8 watts, for instance, while a 100-count string of incandescent mini lights would require around 40.8 watts. In addition to their energy efficiency, LED lights offer the lighting artist more flexibility, as more LED strings can generally be connected and powered through a single outlet.

All in all, LED lights are the smart choice for Christmas decorations.